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GEOGRAPHICAL AREA
From our base and head office in Courbillac, 16200 we cover the area in this map.
If you are just outside this area please contact us as we may still be able to help.
OUR HISTORY
Charente Assistance was started in 2015 by husband and wife team Richard and Nicki Waldeck offering a high quality and reliable service to clients wanting help with their home, garden or pool. They quickly forged an unrivalled reputation for getting a job done to a high standard whilst keeping a constant line of communication with clients who were often in a different country.
During the first three years Richard and Nicki's client base grew until in mid 2018 it reached saturation point. Even with the help of their eldest son, who had by this stage joined them, they were working 7 days a week and unable to take on any new clients.
And so, in late 2018, the decision was taken to change the structure of the company and increase the team members thereby allowing many more clients to benefit from the services they offered. This is France so the process of changing was long and full of paperwork but, eventually, in February 2019, the new look Charente Assistance was launched.
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Today, the objective remains the same as it was on the first day:
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Offer a high quality service
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Offer value for money
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Be completely trustworthy (as often clients may not be present)
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Always communicate with the client (as again they are often not present)
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Be honest and say if we are unable to do a job (as we will never take on a job not within our skill set)
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Only ever carry out work we are registered and insured to do
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...and quite frankly, just be lovely!
There is a major difference between us and our competitors. Most of our competitors, despite some very grandiose company names are husband and wife teams; others who claim to be national companies are actually franchises and fundamentally also just husband and wife teams; other are just random individuals who have joined together without any cohesion in order to make themselves seem big.
We are different...
We are a full team of hand picked, highly skilled and motivated people who work together. We all start our day from the same place, we all wear the same uniform to every job and we are all responsible to one boss. This means that we are able to take ownership of our work in a way that results in a great job - everytime.
MEET THE TEAM
Richard and Nicki
Charente Assistance was founded and is still owned by Richard and Nicki Waldeck who moved to France in 2004. They started the business in 2015 with a view to providing high quality, professional services for their clients in the Charente and Charente Maritime.
Richard is experienced in pool and garden maintenance whilst Nicki brings plant knowledge and a fine eye for detail that ensures a high quality finish to any job.
James
James joined us in 2019 and is a key member of our team Originally from the US he moved to France in 2018 whereupon he settled in the Charente with his family.
James is a bit of an all rounder with skills reaching beyond the garden, although this is where you are more likely to find him when representing us.
Mark
Mark arrived in France during 2017 before joining the Charente Assistance family in mid 2021.
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Like a few of our team Mark is multi skilled and can be found with either his pool guy, gardener or handyman hats on.
Sophie
Sophie returned to France in 2019 after some years working abroad and joined our team a year later.
During her time away she has gained a wealth of experience in both horticulture and agriculture.
Mike
Mike joined our team in September 2022 and soon established himself as the main man for garden clearance and hedge cutting. His keen eye for detail also means he if often called upon to help with some of the more delicate gardens.
Dave
Dave joined the team in early 2022 following his move to France in 2020.
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Dave holds a regular slot within our gardening team caring for some of our finer gardens.
Ben
Ben joined our team as a baby back in 2020 and has matured into another key member of our team.
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During his time with us Ben has worked across all departments of our company and serves as a versatile all rounder.
Jim
Jim joined our team during the 2023 season and works alongside James at our properties that benefit from regular garden maintenance.
Jim can also be found on some of our bigger projects.
Jorge
Jorge, originally from Mexico arrived at our door via Canada and other areas of France.
He joined the team during the 2023 season and can be found in gardens throughout the region working on regular works and projects alike.
Neil
Neil joined our team for the beginning of the 2024 season taking on one of our pool technician roles.
Alison
Alison joined our team during 2023 and soon established herself as a worthy partner to our fine gardening team members.
Yvonne
Yvonne joined our team at the end of 2023 and has taken charge of our marketing strategy and social media activities.
Aldona
Aldona joined our team during 2023 and is responsible for our property checks as well as being a key member of the cleaning team.